A section of students at Kisii University have filed a legal action against the institution following a fine they were charged at the reopening dates in early November.
The students moved a motion to a Kisii court on Monday to challenge the university senate against the decision to impose a Sh1,800 fine to all students following chaos that erupted at the main campus leading to its closure after the destruction of the university property.
Six applicants led by Brian Moses Onyango, swore an affidavit on grounds that the university senate had not given enough reasons to fine all students and that it failed to give students an opportunity to appeal against the decision.
They, therefore, asked the court to give an order of scrapping off the fines. The students chose to represent themselves to avoid financial implications of hiring a private advocate.
The respondent who was the university’s legal officer, Johnson Isiji, appealed for more time before the presiding judge Justice Joseph Karanja to reply to the affidavit. Justice Karanja ruled out that the six applicants who are students at the university be exempted from paying the fines.
The court, however, declined the applicants’ prayer to act the same for all students at Kisii University.
“The other students have not been included as parties of interests in the matter and therefore no ruling will be made until all their names will be reflected in the court,” noted Justice Karanja.
A substantive motion will be heard on December 7 to determine the fate of the other students in the campus.